Attachment for brooms



(No Model.)

. G. H. ABRAMS.

ATTACHMENT FOR 'BROOMS. No. 486,066. Patented Nov. 8,1892.

H1 Hill H i H! HIIHHH UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

GEORGE H. ABRAMS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ATTACHMENT FOR BROOMS.

SPECIFICATION-forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,066, dated November8, 1892. Application filed September 22,1891. Serial No. 406,468. (Nomodel.)

To all whom iii nay concern:

"Be it known that I, GEORGE H. ABRAMS, a citize of theUnited States,residingin Brooklyn, Kings county, in the State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Attachments for Brooms,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved attachment for brooms, which is inthe nature of a dust-pan or receptacle for the sweepings, and to preventthe dust from being scattered promiscuously during the operation ofsweeping.

The invention comprises a holding device adapted to be mountedadjustably upon the handle of an ordinary broom, and a pan or receptacleconnected with such holding device and adapted to be carried by thebroom during the operation of sweeping. The said pan or receptacle maybe of any suitable shape, and it is provided with a lip adapted to restupon the floor and with a flexible or elastic apron, which latter servesthe twofold pur pose of preventing the dust or sweepings from flyingback against the broom and of bearing against the latter, so as tomaintain the receptacle in the proper position for operation.

The invention consists in the detailed construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts which will be hereinafterfully described andclaimed.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, andrepresent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.v

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the device in place upon a broom.Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a rear view. Fig.4is a verticalsection of the pan detached. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a modifiedform of the pan.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures wherethey appear.

1 designates an ordinary broom, upon the handle of which is mounted asleeve 2, which may be formed of malleable iron or other suitablematerial. The sleeve 2 is provided with a boss or bushing 3, having ascrewthreaded portion in which a set-screw 4 is mounted, by means ofwhich the said sleeve may be secured in any desired position upon thehandle 5 of the broom. Suitably attached to the sleeve 2 are springs 6,which may be formed of brass wire. The said springs may be soldered orotherwise suitably attached to the sleeve, and the latter maybe providedat itslower edge with perforated lugs, as 7, to

receive the upper ends of the said springs.

The springs may, if preferred, be formed integrally of a single pieceof, wire. The said springs are extended downwardly and across eachother, so as to restlightly against the side of the broom-head, and atthe point at which they cross each other I place a sleeve or washer 2 3,by means of which the said springs are loosely connected. The lower endsof the springs are provided with laterally-extending fingers or brackets8,forming pivots for the attachment of the dust-pan 9. Thelatter ispreferablyconstructed of tin or other light cheap material. I iscomposed of the cheeks or side pieces 10, which are soldered orotherwise suit-' ably connected with the body 11. The body is bypreference constructed of a single sheet of metal, which is bent toconform to the outline of the side pieces. The preferred shape of thelatter has been delineated in the drawings in Fig. 5, from which it willbe seen that they are wide or broad at their rear ends and taperingtoward the front. The body 11 is attached to the sidepieces at the upperand lower edges and at the front, only the rear end being left open forthe admission of the dust or sweepings. The bottom of the pan is bent upwardly, so as to form a transverse ridge or rib 12, beyond which it isextended to form the lip 13, the sides of which are provided withflanges 14, adjoining the side pieces 10. Thatportion of the body whichconstitutes the lip 13 is not attached to the side pieces 10, but isfree to move and to rest flexibly upon the floor during the operation ofsweeping. The upper rear portion of the body is bent downwardly andcurved so as to form the apron 15, the lower edge of which has a flange16. This apron, owing to the nature of the material of which it isconstructed, is somewhat elastic or flexible, and it therefore servesnot only to retain the dust and sweepings in the pan, but also to pressagainst the broom and to maintain the device in proper position foroperation. In order to assist the flexibility of this apron,I may placea spring, as 17, within the receptacle in such a position as to pressagainst the apron. In Fig. 5 of the drawings 1 have shown such a spring.I would have it understood, however, that instead of the flat springshown in the drawings a coiled or other suitable form of spring may beused without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have shown a further modification of theinvention, which consists in constructing the lip 13 of a separate pieceof sheet metal, which is connected with the lower rear edge of the body,of the pan by means of a hinge 18 of ordinary construction. It is verydesirable that the rear edge of the lip 13 should rest lightly upon thefloor during the operation of sweeping in order that during the forwardmovement of the broom it may ride easily over the dust and sweepingsupon the floor without scattering the same. Ordinarily the material ofwhich the device is constructed will be sufficiently flexible or elasticto permit the said lipto operate in the manner just described; but Ireserve the right to construct the lip separately and to hinge or attachit to the body of the pan in any suitable manner, inasmuch as it maysometimes be found convenient to use nonfiexible material in theconstruction of the device.

The side pieces or cheeks 10 are provided with perforations 19 toreceive the fingers or pivots 8 of the springs 6. The said fingers mayvery easily be sprung into the perforations 19, thus connect ng thedevice pivotally with the broom, to which the said springs are attached,as hereinbefore stated.

The side pieces 10 are provided near their front ends with spindles orjournals 20, upon which supporting wheels 21 are mounted. These Wheelsmay be of any suitable construction, and they may, when desired, beprovided with rubber tires 22. The lower edges of said wheels areextended somewhat below the bottom of the pan, so as to support thelatter during operation.

The device is attached to a broom for operation by mounting the sleeve2, carrying the springs 6 upon the handle and mounting the pan orreceptacle upon the fingers 8 of the said springs, as herein described.The sleeve 2 is adjustable upon the handle, thus adapting the device tobe mounted upon brooms of various sizes, it being obviously importantthat the adjustment should be such as to cause the edge of the lip 13 torest lightly upon the floor in advance of the broom. The set-screw 4with which the sleeve 2 is provided is for the purpose of effecting suchadjustment; but any other suitable means may be employed for retainingthe sleeve in the proper position. When the broom is moved forwardlyduring the operation of sweeping, the lint and dust will be guided overthe lip 13 and thrown over the ridge 12 into the receptacle, theapron 15serving to retain the sweepings' in said receptacle. Duringthe backwardmovement of the broom the latter is usually raised from the floor, andthe edge of the lip 13 will consequently be raised while the body of thereceptacle rides upon and is supported by the wheels 21. It follows thatthe Weight of the device, which, however, is not heavy, is at all timessupported and does not call for any unusual exertion on the part of theoperator. On the contrary, the weight of the broom is actually supportedand the operation of sweeping is correspondingly facilitated.

Myimproved broom attachment difliers from i the ordinary carpet-sweeperin this respect,

that the usual action of the broom is retained. There is no revolvingbrush and complicated operating mechanism for such brfish, which isalways liable to get out of order. When equipped with my improvedattachment, an ordinary broom may be used in the ordinary manner, andthere is nothing to prevent it from reaching into corners which couldnot be reached by means of the carpet-sweeper.

The device is very simple and inexpensive. To empty the pan orreceptacle of the dust and sweepings, it is not necessary to detach itfrom the broom, as, owing to the pivotal connection with the fingers ofthe elastic arms or springs 6,it may at anytime be readilytilted orinverted and its contents be dumped out.

I have described the form of my invention which I consider to bepreferable. I desire it to be distinctly understood, however, that myinvention is capable of being modified in many respects. I therefore donot limit myself to the construction herein described, but reserve theright to any and all changes and modifications to which recourse may behad without departing from.the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In combination with abroom, a sleeve mounted upon the handle, springs attached to the saidsleeve, and a dust pan or receptacle mounted pivotally on said springs,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a broom, of a sleeve adapted to be shifted upand down upon the handle, means, such as a set-screw, for retaining saidsleeve at any desired adjustment, springs attached to thesaid sleeve,and a dust pan or receptacle mounted pivotally upon said springs,substantially as set forth.

3. An attachment for brooms, consisting of a receptacle having ayielding lip adapted to rest upon the floor and provided with supportingwheels or rollers, in combination with means including a sleeve andspring-supports for the receptacle for connecting such receptacledetachably with an ordinary broom, substantially as described.

4. The described attachment for brooms,

ITO

consisting of a receptacle pivotally mounted In testimony that I claimthe invention on spring-supports and having a flexible lip above setforth I afiix my signature in presadapred to rest lightly upon the floorand enoe of two Witnesses.

, provided at the inner edge of said lip with a v GEORGE H. ABRAMS.

5 transverse rib or ridge to retain the sweepings WVitnesses;

in the body of the receptacle, substantially CHARLES R. SEARLE,

as set forth. M. F. BOYLE.

